Bolton jogger's condition improving after accident

BOLTON — A 39-year-old Bolton woman, seriously injured last Friday morning, is lucky to be recovering from what could have been a much worse accident, according to Bolton Police Chief Vincent Alfano.

The woman was jogging on Route 117, near Route 110, during the morning rush hour when a car traveling westbound hit her from behind, Alfano said. Witnesses saw the car drift off the road, Alfano said.

"She was thrown quite a distance and seriously injured," Alfano said, noting she was conscious when officers arrived. The driver, Evan Collette, 55, of Leominster, stopped immediately. A psychiatric nurse, Collette was able to attend to the woman's injuries, assisted by another nurse driving by, who stopped to help.

Both police and ambulance crews arrived quickly, Alfano said, all of which contributed to getting the woman to the hospital quickly.

She was transported to UMass in Worcester by Bolton's ambulance. Route 117 was closed to traffic for several hours in the aftermath of the crash.

"She was very lucky. It could have had much darker consequences," he said, adding that her condition was improving and it appeared she was going to be OK. He declined to give more details, citing the federal health information regulations.

Police continue to investigate, and Alfano said motor vehicle charges are likely to be filed against Collette.

"We believe the driver may have fallen asleep, based on witness statements," Alfano said, emphasizing the investigation is ongoing. Police have ruled out alcohol or drugs as a cause. "He was very upset by what happened."

Police are not faulting the jogger's actions.

"She did nothing wrong," Alfano said, adding she was jogging between the solid line and the guardrail, in a two-to-three-foot area on the side of the road. "She was well within her right to be where she was.

"We always tell people to wear bright colors when they are running," Alfano said, adding that she was wearing very bright colors while she was running last week and was very close to home, although Route 117, during rush hour, is a busy road. "I saw a man jogging last night (Sunday) wearing dark colors."